Winged
by angel0wonder
Summary: Cooped up in Dr. Fate's tower has got Shayera on edge. Whats a winged warrior supposed to do? rewritten and reposted.


Author's note: Due to grammer issues I've rewritten this. Heres the final version, YAY!

* * *

Tick.

Tock.

Tick.

Tock.

Tock, tick.

Tick, tock.

Tickety tock.

Tockety tick.

TICK FREAKING TOCK!

_I' m seriously about to go out of mind,_ I thought as she stared at the large ebony clock across from me place on the vintage chair.

Dr. Fate was kind enough to allow me to stay at his tower. But it was kind of cramped. He had suggested that I try finding myself, to meditate on my situation. But the dark mood of the place just caused me to wallow in my own despair.

Betrayal. I would ramble about it but I had already allowed myself to shed one tear over the misfortune that has recently taken place in my life. If I continue to dwell, then I just might get choked up again, and I've too much pride to express weakness.

But seriously, I need to get out of here, to do something! Being a dexterous type of person always allowed me to keep busy while in the league.

Here the only thing I could do was play chess with Aquaman. Don't even get me started on his playing skills. I haven't seen such bad playing since Wally. But I let him win. It just wasn't worth it.

But what shakes me now is the stirring of something deep within me. It started in my heart a few weeks after staying here. I dismissed it as a side-effect of the series of unfortunate events that is my recent timeline. But as the weeks progressed the feeling got worse. It wasn't even a feeling now, it felt like a presence, a desire that was so overwhelming that I was floored. I clutched at my chest as I took a deep breath, hoping to calm myself.

But it was unrelenting as my body was surged with pulses of energy. I quickly jumped from my seat and my wings shot in an outward motion spreading them to their full length, touching either sides of the room.

_Now THAT was the ultimate kick to the ass_, I thought as my hands unconsciensly fisted at my sides. Blood pumped in my ears and my heart raced. _What the heck is going on!_

Just then the in the next room I saw the familiar purple glow that signaled Doctor Fate's return. I immediately bolted towards the main room were he appeared.

I nearly collided into his reappearing form from the urgency that was practically tearing at my heart strings. As he put his arms down he regarded me with what I assumed was a cool collected stare.

In a hurried voice I started to say "Fate! I need to,"

"Yes I know." He gently interrupted me with his deep voice.

He then lifted his hand up to my forehead and gently laid his finger tips over my eye lids.

When he removed them after about five seconds I opened my eyes to a new landscape. My eyes widen in amazement and awe. There before me was the most magnificent set of cliffs I have ever seen.

At the spot we were standing the clouds swirled around our feet. Just a few feet in front of me the cliff made a sharp turn straight down were I could just barely see a narrow river winding a path between the massive deep brown rock faces.

The cliffs went off as far as I could see, and in the distance there was a tall waterfall. So tall that the tip was cut off by thick white swirling clouds.

The hawk in me screamed in desire, and the feeling in my chest seemed to be building up. I immediately felt the effect and a small smile tugged at my lips into a satisfied smirk. This was a hawk's freaking dream world, and I sure as hell am going to take advantage of that.

I turned to Fate who was waiting patiently behind me.

"I felt your need to be out of my tower so I searched many dimensions searching for the right place where you could let it all out." He said with a hint of satisfaction in his own voice. I regarded him with gratitude.

"Thanks." I say quietly looking at him for a moment longer.

Then I turned around and charged to the edge of the canyon full speed, adrenaline coursing through my Thanagarian veins, and leapt off.

Down I dove through the air, the ground seeming miles ahead of me. I tucked my arms and wings close to myself, freefalling through the clouds as the wind hit my face on my suicide jump down. I closed my eyes and let myself just be for those short few seconds.

You know, the rest of the Justice League think they know all about flying. But the Hawkgirl in me knows that that floating through the air just by thinking it, without gravity being an issue is not truly flying.

To have the great force of gravity as your enemy working against you, I knew that true flying was through discipline and to catch the winds in your favor, and to be able to use that force was an art that took years to perfect.

THAT'S what flying is really all about.

These thoughts ran through my mind in those few seconds, temporarily zoning out the screaming wind rushing past me.

I adjusted my wings at an angle so that I was spinning fast through the air, propelling myself toward the ground. In a split second the energy inside me burst and came roaring out through me, tearing my eyes open in time to see the surface of the river charging straight at my face. That's when I released my wings out on both sides of me, catching the great winds just a few feet from death, swooping through the air until I leveled over the water. All took pace in a matter of moments.

The waters made ripples under the beats of my wings. I saw my reflection clear as day in the river. My long red hair blew wildly around my face, green eyes sparkling with the first sign of life since the invasion.

On its own accord my finger reached out and tapped the surface of the water, making a small splash.

I suddenly grin wildly at my reflection before I beat my wings once more and practically skimmed over the surface of the water.

Power. That's what I always feel when I fly. Like nothing could touch me in the air. Like the skies were my dominium to conquer. My territory, the other leaguers could fly about all they want, but this will always belong to me.

I heard it before I saw it. Up ahead of me I could see that I was approaching the colossal waterfall. I smirked at the sight that would have intimidated most people. Piece of cake, right? I pumped my wings a bit faster, my senses tingling with anticipation of a challenge.

The force of the water that seemingly fell from the sky impacted the surface of the river with such power that I could already feel the flying droplets of water hitting my skin long before I reached the waterfall. This just further excited me.

As I neared, the roaring of the water was so great it was deafening. It sounded like an everlasting roar of a great angry monster that never got its morning coffee.

I continued flying low until I was almost blind against the mist and my ear drums rang. I was nearly under the death spray when I made a sudden swoop upwards turn in the opposite direction in which the tumbling waters were being carried.

I pumped my wings to propel myself higher into the air past the tiny missiles of water that hit my face.

I squinted my eyes to see through it all as I drove up like a bullet through the air, my wings feeling the strain. Gritting my teeth I continued pushing past gravity, past the waterfall, past the cliffs, past the clouds, past the worries, past my fears, past the restraints of the world and mind, past time itself.

Until I found myself hovering in pure clarity. The clouds were below me, in front of me was a setting sun surrounded by pink and purple hues still casting its last light upon my features.

It was as if I was suspended in time between heaven and earth. I breathed in the perfectly clean air and my eyes fluttered closed and I let myself meditate in the mist of peace.

Only to open them moments later with a sly grin and determined look on my face.

What? I'm a hawk. Quiet time is not my style, I need some freaking action!

With that thought in my head I hurtled myself through the air like a white hot knife through butter, yet with a grace that only a bird of prey can possess. This is what flows through my veins, this is what governs my destiny.


End file.
